For the NOLA duplex I have not yet fired her, I’m worried about the unknown but her lack of communication is forcing me into that action.

Here’s the approach I’d take, blending strategy and action: 1.

Your first run at ideas are more aspirational, but not necessarily actionable in the short term.

That property is now a reliable source of rental income and a constant reminder that success starts with taking action, learning on the fly, and embracing challenges head-on.

I am creating a 5-7 year plan of action for my family.

This amounts to lost opportunity because if you had purchased RE, at the closing it can start producing return. 5) ADUs detract from the existing structure whether this is privacy, a garage, or just yard space. 6) this is related to number 1, but there are many more buyers looking to purchase homes for their family than there are RE investors looking to purchase small unit count properties.

Focus on actionable steps like analyzing deals, attending local meetups, and exploring niches like wholesaling or house hacking.

The fact that you think the tenant is a pain has nothing to do with how you maintain the property, you could be creating legal and maintenance problems for yourself by not taking action. 

That could involve mediation or court, OR possibly if nobody takes an action you may simply be awarded the EMD back after a certain time period.

Once that extra rental started generating income, he realized the higher interest rate was just a temporary hiccup on the way to bigger returns.In your case, maybe look at a structure that keeps your best cash-flow property on a lighter refi (say 50% or 60% LTV) while you go a bit heavier on the one that’s not producing as much right now.